Wilhelm wohltmakn



W WOHLTMANN. I Purifying Tobacco.

No. 225,903 Patented Mar.'23,1880.

Witnesa s Inventor;

W o #1 M a 371W N-PEIERS. PHQTO-LITNOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILHELM WOHLTMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PURIFYING TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,903, dated March 23, 1880.

' Application filed September 26, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILHELM WOHLTMANN, of New York, in the county and State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved Process of Purifying Tobacco, of which the following is a specification.

Figure l is a side view of tobacco-purifyin g apparatus used in carrying my process into effect. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same; Fig. 3 a horizontal section of the same, and Fig. 4 a detail sectional view of the perforated pan used in the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to a new process of steaming tobacco preparatory to charging it with chemicals for improving its quality.

The invention consists in treating the tobacco within a closed vessel, first, with pure steam, which cleans out the pores, and thereafter with aqueous vapors, which carry vaporized chemicals for improving the character of the tobacco, and which fill the pores previously cleaned by the steam.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A represents a kettle or boiler of suitable size and shape. a a are brackets projecting from the inner side of the boiler for the support of a perforated plate, B, or of a pan, B Fig. 4, having a perforated bottom. Beneath the brackets a a there enter into the boiler A three pipes, b, d, and c. The pipe b is for the admission and also for the discharge of steam, it being provided at its end with a cap, by which it may be coupled to a suitable steamgenerator if steam is to be let into the kettle A. When the steam is to be discharged by the pipe bthe pipe is first disconnected from the steamgenerator. The pipe d is for the admission of water charged with the volatile chemicals-such as extract of pure tobacco dissolved in water and sweetened-Which are to improve the tobacco, and the pipe 0, which is provided with a stopcock, is for the discharge of such water.

Cold water charged with the volatile chemicleaning its pores; but gradually the heat of the steam serves also to partly evaporate the water and the chemicals; but the steam itself first prepares a passage in the pores of the tobacco for the reception of the chemicals, and at the same time causes the nicotine and other noxious substances wherewith thelesser grades of tobacco are frequently charged to be discharged therefrom. These volatile substances within the tobacco are taken up by the steam, and combine therewith, and condense with the steam along the walls of the boiler. The water in the boiler must be withdrawn from time to time through the pipe 6, in order to remove the condensed impurities'above mentioned andto prevent them from being carried back to the tobacco by freshly-ascending steam.

The tobacco, after having been treated in manner described by the steam and by the volatile chemicals evaporating with the water, is removed from the boiler, and may then be pressed to expel all surplus moisture, and dried, whereupon it will be found perfectly sweet and free from noxious substances.

I do not claim the treatment of tobacco with steam, nor with steam carrying chemical vapors; but

1 do claim- The process of treating tobacco by first subjecting it to the action of pure steam, and thereafter, in the same vessel, to the action of aqueous vapors charged with chemicals, the vapors being gradually created by the passage of the pure steam over the water containing the chemicals, substantially as specified.

WILHELM WOHLTMANN.

Witnesses:

'l. B. MOSHER, F. v. BRIESEN. 

